ECB Begins Recruitment for Digital Euro Beta Payment Pilot Program

The European Central Bank (ECB) is recruiting online and mobile merchants in the eurozone to join its digital euro beta payment pilot program, which will commence in the second half of 2027. The ECB announced on October 15 that selected merchants will support remote e-commerce transactions using the beta digital euro, verifying payment experiences, operational procedures, and core functionalities. Applications close at 12:00 AM (KST) on October 28.

The pilot is scheduled to run for 12 months starting in late 2027. It will involve 36 authorized payment service providers, selected merchants, the ECB, and staff from 19 national central banks across the eurozone. The ECB stated it will decide whether to issue a digital euro following the adoption of relevant regulations.